A new study by the Commonwealth Center for Governance Studies identifies effective governance practices at large nonprofit health systems, and steps that boards and CEOs can take to improve their organization’s governance and performance. The authors, led by University of Kentucky College of Public Health Associate Dean Lawrence Prybil, recommend that boards review their roles and responsibilities in the context of recent and anticipated changes in the health care environment and communities they serve; re-examine their agendas and practices to devote more time and energy to strategic deliberations; and review their evaluation processes to ensure they consistently generate action and improve their effectiveness.
The report also advises boards to charge a standing committee to oversee system-wide community benefit policies/programs and population health priorities; develop better methods and practices to be accountable to the community; and more clearly define their role in quality and patient safety. In addition, the report calls for boards to make leadership succession planning a system-wide strategic priority, and appraise the boardroom culture for ways to make it healthier and more effective.
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